One of Türkiye’s most prestigious gastronomic events, the 22nd International Istanbul Gastronomy Festival (International Istanbul Culinary Days), will take place between December 17–20, 2025, at the Istanbul Bahçelievler Congress Center. Organized for 21 years by the Turkish Chefs and Pastry Chefs Federation (TAŞFED), the festival will once again bring together chefs, academics, and gastronomy students from around the world.
Within the scope of the festival, students from the Department of Gastronomy and Culinary Arts will transfer their theoretical and practical knowledge into real-world practice by competing in two categories: “Best University Team of the Year Competition” and “University-Level Modern Turkish Cuisine Team Competition.” Through these contests, evaluated by an international jury, students will have the opportunity to further develop their professional skills while gaining valuable international experience.
Organized in collaboration with the World Association of Chefs’ Societies (WACS), the festival serves as an important career milestone for young chef candidates. Featuring more than 70 competition categories, the event aims to strengthen the interaction between Turkish cuisine and world cuisines and to promote gastronomic culture on an international platform.
In addition to the competitions, the festival will host sectoral promotions, brand stands, and various gastronomy-related events. Our students will not only participate as competitors but will also have the chance to establish direct connections with industry professionals. This participation, which is a great source of pride for our department, is expected to make a significant contribution to our students’ professional development and career goals.
We wish our students great success in the competition!
